


Get Your Feet Off The Table

by SparkleMoose



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/M, Gen, Miqo'te Headcanon (Final Fantasy XIV), Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:54:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29627319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparkleMoose/pseuds/SparkleMoose
Summary: In one universe Fleur Gwina is a hero, the savior of a realm.In this universe she's an exhausted barista working two jobs to show her biological father that he can go screw himself. In this universe, her greatest battle is with Aymeric's sugar addiction, her co-workers concern over her health, and Estinien being Estinien.Twelve damn it Estinien get your feet off the table I just wiped that down-(Or the coffee shop au that was inspired by Diadem chat. Y'ALL KNOW WHO YOU ARE.)
Relationships: Warrior of Light/Estinien Wyrmblood
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	Get Your Feet Off The Table

Coffee shops were a mistake. That is the only thought that runs through Fleur’s mind as she stares, dead-eyed and frowning, at the elezen in front of her.

“You want,” she says slowly, as though speaking to someone oblivious as to the insanity they asked of her, “A coffee with four pumps of birch syrup and three sugars and two creams?” The order sounds ridiculous to her. It makes her mourn for the days when she could rely on those around her to not order something that can barely qualify as coffee.

“Correct,” the elezen says, smiling at her in a way that would have been charming if Fleur found anything about customers charming. “How much will that be?”

“Your entire wallet,” Fleur says, as she gets to work, “Six dollars and fifty cents,” she adds after he doesn’t respond.

He beams at her when she hands him his drink.

She debates grabbing it back just to spill it on him.

* * *

It is not as though Fleur wants to be working as a barista, rather, it is that she has no choice in the matter. Having told her biological father - who had given her up for adoption - to go fuck off when he had attempted to walk back into her life may not have been the best idea but Fleur has no time for CEO's who waltz into their forgotten child's life after said child has just lost the parents that raised her.

Seriously, fuck Hades and fuck his fancy titles.

So having scorned her father's money, Fleur had found herself a job working as a barista with her friend Thancred and once she had settled she had picked up another job, this time as a tutor for others in her university.

Needless to say, she is in fact one busy bitch.

She tries not to think about what she could have had, but sometimes when she sees her friends struggling well-

It's tempting to call the number written on the black business card in her pocket.

* * *

“No,” Fleur says as the elezen comes back in just a day later.

“My name is Aymeric,” he says as he smiles at her like she hadn’t just been terribly rude to him, “How are you today?”

“I’m a barista working at an overpriced coffee shop for minimum wage,” Fleur says dryly, “Guess.”

“My sympathies,” Aymeric says and sounds like he means it.

Fleur wants to kick him out, but Alisaie said that she had to stop doing that to people she didn’t like. Letting out a heavy sigh, Fleur turns her gaze towards the heavens and wishes it would strike her down.

It does not.

She has to give Aymeric the monstrosity he calls a coffee anyway.

* * *

“I still don’t understand why I can’t kick people out,” Fleur mutters to herself as she helps Y’shtola close up. While the other Miqo’te is blind, she is the manager of the rest of the shop, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and that neither Fleur nor Thancred go crazy with power.

Odd, Fleur thinks, considering that it is far more likely Y’shtola will go crazy with power before Fleur or Thancred do.

“Reviews are important, Y’tonah.” Fleur makes a face at her clan name being used. “We can’t afford to lose any more business just because you dislike someone.

“I don’t dislike most people!” At glance at Y’shtola’s face tells Fleur that the other woman is not impressed. “Okay, I only dislike those who deserve it.”

“Liar,” Thancred calls out as he leaves the staff room, “You dislike anyone who doesn’t drink their coffee the way you do.”

“Frappuccino's are a blight on existence and should not be considered coffee by the masses.”

“Also,” Alisaie says as she pops in from seemingly nowhere, “Fleur shouldn’t be allowed to drink coffee considering her allergy to it.”

Alisaie narrows her eyes at Fleur.

Fleur smiles at the young elezen sweetly.

Y’shtola sighs like the world is going to end.

“How much coffee did you have today, Fleur?” 

“Three-” Y’shtola looks at her. “-Six,” Fleur admits grudgingly crossing her arms.

“How the hell are you not dead yet?” Thancred asks.

“I’m a bad bitch,” Fleur says, “I can’t die.”

* * *

Aymeric becomes - to Fleur’s shock and horror - a regular. She doesn't know why it happened, she doesn't know how it happened, but  Fleur takes that to mean that she has sufficiently charmed the man into staying with her great recommendations and amazing drink making skills.

“You like sweet things?” Fleur had said one day while brewing a cinnamon heart latte, “Here, drink this, tell me what you think.”

Aymeric had taken it from her with a bemused smile. “Will I be charged?” he had asked while taking a sip.

“You’ve come here ten times, the eleventh drink is free,” Fleur says dryly while taking his punch card, “How is it?”

Aymeric looks at the latte with delight and confusion.

“I like it,” he says, “Sweet but with a bit of spice. Yes, I do believe this is excellent.”

Fleur would not say she beamed at him. But her ears perked up and her pupils dilated so she may have been pleased.

Maybe.

* * *

A little known fact is that Fleur, along with being a barista, spends a good amount of her time baking the cookies for the shop with Urianger as well. The Rising Stones Coffee Shop and Bakery was built after their first location The Waking Sands was burnt to the ground.

Rumors say that it was Thancred’s dick cousin Lahabrea but it has never been confirmed.

“Dost thou require more cream?” Urianger asks, handing a bag of buttercream over to Fleur without waiting for her response. “Thy attention is most ardently placed upon thy cake.”

“Shut up, Uri,” Fleur scowls as she carefully pips rosettes around the bottom border of the cake. Stepping back once she’s done and eyeing the blue marble mirror glaze on the cake thoughtfully. The mirror glaze is well done, of that there is no doubt, and Fleur thinks that the cake is elegant enough that it will suit whatever party Aymeric requested it for but-

She’s nervous, over the weeks she has come to somewhat like Aymeric. The man takes her snark and banter with a grace that she hasn’t seen on those outside the coffeeshop and Fleur has grown attached to him in the way one gets attached to a customer you see often enough that were you outside of work you could be called friends.

The cake itself and the decorations isn’t the issue here. The issue is that Fleur feels she could have done more with the flavor. The cake itself is a vanilla basil cake with lemon curd filling and the rosettes Fleur had piped are lemon buttercream.

It’s a simple cake if one ignores the mirror glaze. It’s exactly what Aymeric ordered. Fleur has always been an overachiever however, and here she feels as though she could have done more.

“Urgh,” She says, turning to Urianger, “I hope whoever gets this likes it at least.”

Urianger smiles at her like she’s being a fool.

“‘Tis your baking, dearest Fleur,” he says, “Whomever receives this shall taste the passion thou’st have poured into it.”

“Thanks,” Fleur says, “I guess.”

* * *

Aymeric comes back, and Fleur can hear the twins snicker as her tail curves into a hook behind her and her ears straighten.

Aymeric comes back and there's a man with white hair there with him.

"Fleur," Aymeric says, "I'd like to introduce you to my friend, this is Estinien."

**Author's Note:**

> no for real, ever since this was brought up in diadem chat i was like 'i need...to write it....' so here we are. with a coffee shop au. my twitter is @/sparklecryptid in case any of you wanna follow me and we are using my main WoL here. so. yeah.


End file.
